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Columbia Business Monthly

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Last Updated: Nov 03, 2022 12:28PM • Subscribe via RSS • ATOM

Fountain Inn: Hometown Charm, Growing Community

Nov 03, 2022 12:28PM ● By Amy Bonesteel

Chatting with a neighbor, walking to a show or restaurant, stopping by the local hardware store to pick something up: Conveniences longtime residents and newcomers do not take for granted in Fountain Inn, South Carolina.

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It’s No Secret: Fountain Inn is on the Move

Nov 03, 2022 12:11PM ● By John C. Stevenson

Fountain Inn is a city on the move. Its population has increased by 6 percent during the 21st centu-ry, and over the past five years, the community known as “the diamond tip of the Golden Strip” has exceeded the goals of its master plan and is in the process of drafting a new one

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South Carolina Aerospace Education Opportunities on the Rise

Nov 03, 2022 11:51AM ● By Kevin Dietrich

South Carolina’s growing aerospace prowess is limited to neither the construction of jets nor the plethora of suppliers producing materials, components, and parts for high-end aircraft built in the state. Aerospace training in the state has blossomed in recent years, and officials believe that South Caro-lina is on its way to becoming a destination for individuals pursuing aeronautical engineering de-grees and other aviation-related education.

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South Carolina May Hold Key to Future of Aerospace Industry

Nov 03, 2022 11:24AM ● By Kevin Dietrich

North Carolina’s reputation as aviation’s birthplace was guaranteed with the Wright Brothers’ suc-cess at Kitty Hawk more than a century ago, but the future of the aerospace industry could well be in South Carolina.

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‘A Game Changer’: Boeing’s Presence in South Carolina Has Huge Impact on Economy, Industrial Landscape

Nov 03, 2022 11:14AM ● By Kevin Dietrich

Boeing’s impact on South Carolina is best summarized with an analogy: the manufacturing giant is to S.C. aerospace what BMW is to the state’s auto industry. Both are linchpins in the state’s industrial sector, with each employing thousands of workers and relying on scores of suppliers from around the state. Both have also changed how people inside the state and beyond view South Carolina.

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A New Purpose for an Old Mall? Some S.C. Malls Turning to Nontraditional Tenants in Changing Retail Environment

Nov 03, 2022 11:07AM ● By David Caraviello

It seems an odd place for a church, even a fake one. Gemstone Prayer Center Locust Grove — ac-tually a set for the HBO comedy “The Righteous Gemstones” — sits at one end of Citadel Mall, an indoor shopping plaza of over 1 million square feet built in Charleston in 1981.

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Documentary About Covid in South Carolina Wins Emmy Award

Nov 01, 2022 05:27PM ● By Liv Osby

Keith Fox loved hiking in the mountains, deep sea fishing, and gardening. He was patient and kind and always supportive. John A. Means was a decorated veteran of the U.S. Air Force who flew dignitaries across the coun-try. He loved to read, do crossword puzzles, and take his family on adventures. The two men became fast friends after Fox married Means’ daughter, Donna, in 1989.

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How a Flourishing Charleston Tech Company is Filling the Nonprofit Fundraising Gap

Nov 01, 2022 05:06PM ● By David Caraviello

His 120-member unit was responsible for covering an area roughly the size of the state of Connect-icut, and over 15 dangerous months in Afghanistan in 2007, they were one of the few that made it out without losing a man. But two weeks after the 173rd Airborne returned to the United States, one of Nick Black’s soldiers killed himself.

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Ignore Employee Burnout at Your Own Peril

Nov 01, 2022 04:33PM ● By Bob Helbig

Burnout at work is a real problem, and it has intensified during the long stretch of the pandemic. In survey responses gathered by Energage from thousands of employees over recent months, 39 percent said they often felt overwhelmed at work. Even more worrisome, only 64 percent said they felt their company cared about burnout.

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Should Companies Really Hire Older Workers?

Nov 01, 2022 04:13PM ● By Steve Nail

A recent Harris poll reported that 31 percent of retirees are eager to return to work due to inflation and concern about their financial futures. But should organizations hire older workers, those 55 or more years old? Certainly, for experienced human resources professions, they know that ageism and stereotyping of older workers is very common in many organizations. In fact, most would say it is by far the most common form of dis-crimination in the workplace.

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Top Customer Phone Gripes: Calls Not Answered, Complex Recorded Messages, Annoying ‘On Hold’ Music

Nov 01, 2022 03:57PM ● By David Dykes

Has this ever happened to you? You call customer service with a question, to report an issue with a product, or to relay a concern about a possible hack on your account. Then you’re put on hold – sometimes for several minutes, or much, much longer.

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The Change to Mandatory Capitalization of R&D Costs Affects Businesses Now

Nov 01, 2022 03:56PM ● By Adam Quattlebaum

While the U.S. tax code is always changing, there are many provisions that remain the same for years, even decades. When these seeming constants do change, it can be difficult for taxpayers — including businesses – to adjust in a timely manner.

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Charleston Reboot: A Historic City Now Driven by Innovation

Oct 03, 2022 11:18AM ● By William Y. Klett III

The Holy City evokes images of cobblestone streets, stately homes, and horse-drawn carriages carrying visitors on tours of Charleston’s rich history dating back to the late 1600s. Notwithstanding this history, Charleston is building a future based upon innovation and technology. The old charm of the Deep South has taken on a decidedly new cutting edge.

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New USC President Michael Amiridis Bringing ‘Innovation Network’ to University

Oct 03, 2022 11:17AM ● By C. Grant Jackson

The University of South Carolina’s new president wants to create a way for South Carolina businesses to come to the university with their problems and for the university to provide solutions. Michael Amiridis, Ph.D., wants to establish “a satellite system of innovation centers that will address specific problems, practical problems” for business. Amiridis, who became USC president on July 1, is borrowing the innovation center model from the University of Illinois Chicago, where he was chancellor until his appointment as USC president.

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Higher Education: Renewing Its Purpose

Oct 03, 2022 11:16AM ● By Owen Kowalewski

Higher education institutions have taken big hits to their programs as they try to escape the effects of Covid-19. It has been over 30 months since the pandemic first caused a shutdown, yet, as we continue to get back into the groove of life as we knew it, institutions are still struggling to get on track, including colleges and universities.

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South Carolina Ports Authority Makes ‘Bold’ Moves to Ease Supply Chain Woes

Oct 03, 2022 11:15AM ● By Donna Isbell Walker

The supply chain crisis of 2021 caused a logjam at America’s ports, as congestion meant that ships had to wait longer than usual to unload their cargo. But the South Carolina Ports Authority made some changes to help ease the congestion and get goods off the docks and headed toward their destinations.

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Living Large

Oct 03, 2022 11:15AM ● By David Dykes and David Mildenberg

Patrick Melton and Jordan Phillips didn’t have a whole lot to lose when they started their South Street Partners real estate enterprise in the recession of 2009. Developers were folding, and banks in the Southeast were collapsing at a quick pace, creating opportunities for nimble, risk-taking investors that come along very rarely.

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Ambulatory Surgery Centers on the Rise in South Carolina

Oct 03, 2022 11:14AM ● By Liv Osby

Bon Secours St. Francis Health System plans to break ground this fall on a new ambulatory surgery center at its Millennium Campus that will take a substantial portion of the orthopedic, spinal, and ENT patients now seen in its hospitals.

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Palmetto Olive Oil Co.: Brings Splash of Flavor to Augusta Street

Oct 03, 2022 11:14AM ● By Brigit Preuss

When thinking of starting a business in Greenville, South Carolina, Sandy Burn and her husband Michael Burn decided to think outside the bottle. Although Sandy Burn was hesitant about the idea of an olive oil store, thinking that people were not going to go out of their way to buy the product, she has now run her business for almost 12 years and currently owns three locations in the Upstate.

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Top Workplaces Nomination Deadline Extended

Oct 03, 2022 11:14AM ● By Bob Helbig

The awards program that honors quality workplace culture is underway for the seventh year. Any organization with 35 or more employees in South Carolina is eligible to compete for 2023 Top Workplaces recognition.

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How to Incorporate Sustainability Into Your 2023 Planning

Oct 03, 2022 11:13AM ● By Kari Snyder

While many organizations set their philanthropic priorities for the year ahead during the fourth-quarter months, sustainability goals are still commonly overlooked as part of annual planning. This remains true despite the growing need to address corporate social responsibility and the overall condition of our planet.

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The Best Recession-Proof Investments

Oct 03, 2022 11:13AM ● By Erik Weir

Fear is in the air. Fear of recession. Fear of inflation. Fear of a bottomless pit to the market. The greater the fear, the more investors navigate to safe harbors. But obsession with risk avoidance can lead to bigger problems. Here are some important considerations:

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No Cash Payments? Now What?

Sep 30, 2022 12:29PM ● By David Dykes

At a local convenience store recently, I bought a soft drink and pack of gum for $3.17. I reached into my wallet – and paid with a debit card. I had five pennies in my pocket. Gallup in August said Americans were using cash less often, and nearly two of every three of us believe it’s likely the U.S. will be cashless in our lifetimes.

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